Hummingbird Migration Stopovers & Flights

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Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are reaching their peak migration period across the eastern half of the United States (photos by Paul Konrad).

As hummingbirds are migrating and making crucial stopovers during September, it is interesting to learn more about the biology and energetics of how some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds prepare for long non-stop fall migration flights. During a study of Ruby-throats making a stopover in southern Alabama, one of several interesting pieces of information was discovered that permitted researchers to estimate that the “average” Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a nonstop migration flight range of about 1,320 miles.

The Alabama study found that some Ruby-throats effectively double their body mass during feeding bouts during a migration stopover, in advance of making long-distance migration flights. To study these and other topics, researcher Theodore Zenzal and his colleagues captured, banded, measured, weighed, and released 2,729 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds during 5 fall migration periods at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, located on the southern tip of Alabama adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico.

After collecting weight and age data about each hummingbird they caught, the researchers used a computer program to estimate the Ruby-throats’ flight range based on birds’ body mass and wingspan. The resulting information provided their estimate that the “average” Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a flight range of about 1,320 miles. Using this method, they also predicted that older hummingbirds and males were able to travel farther than younger hummingbirds and females.

The flight ranges that researchers calculated mean that most Ruby-throats would be able to migrate directly across the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, a distance of less than 700 miles. While it is not yet substantiated that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico in numbers, new methods of tracking hummingbirds should soon provide more information about that continuing question. For now, researchers believe most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate around the Gulf, funneling along the coast to locations like Rockport, Texas and the Corpus Christi area, then south.

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds tend to migrate earlier than females in many areas, with young of the year averaging slightly later migration times. Read more

Wildlife

Federal Ammunition Introduces New Cosmic Target Loads

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ANOKA, Minnesota –– Federal Ammunition introduces its new Cosmic shotshells that light up nighttime clay target courses with a UV-fluorescent Podium wad and neon colors on the shells and box that glow under black light. The new 12-gauge load features 1?-ounce No. 8 shot at 1,145 feet per second, which is one of the most popular loads for clay target shooting. These new loads are shipping to dealers nationwide.

Find it here: Cosmic. Read more

Ammunition

SCI Introduces Patriot Package to Honor America’s Military and Veterans at 2027 Convention

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Safari Club International (SCI) is putting patriotism into action at its 2027 Convention with the launch of the Patriot Package, an exclusive experience created to honor the men and women who have served, sacrificed and continue to defend our nation. The package recognizes their service while helping bring more active-duty military members and veterans to the Convention.

More than a Convention experience, the Patriot Package gives SCI supporters a meaningful way to show their appreciation for America’s military while enjoying four days of the world’s premier gathering for hunters, conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts.

For every Patriot Package purchased, two active-duty military members and/or veterans will receive complimentary access to the SCI Convention, giving them the opportunity to experience the event alongside the community that shares a deep appreciation for freedom, service and the outdoors.

SCI has a long history of supporting America’s military and veterans. The Patriot Package gives SCI members a way to recognize that service while providing military members and veterans with an opportunity to attend the SCI Convention and be part of the community.

The exclusive Patriot Package includes the following: Read more

General

2026 Hunting Forecast: South-central Montana Big Game Forecast (Region 5)

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BILLINGS – Above-average summer temperatures and below-average precipitation across most of the region have resulted in reduced forage for wildlife going into late summer. However, following a mild winter, mule deer fawn recruitment improved in some south-central Montana hunting districts.

Elk

Elk are abundant in Region 5. Surveys this year again showed stable to slightly increasing herd sizes. The majority of elk are observed on private land where gaining hunting access may be difficult.

Mule deer

Mule deer numbers in central and eastern parts of Region 5 are near or above long-term average. Mule deer numbers on trend areas in the remainder of the region range from 30 percent to more than 60 percent below long-term averages. Over the past couple years, mule deer numbers appear to be mostly stable. Some districts showed higher fawn recruitment this spring than has been observed for several years. The mule deer population has shown some improvement, but most districts are still well below the long-term average. For the region overall, mule deer buck harvest is 40 percent below long-term average and has been relatively stable for the past four years. The average age of harvested mule deer bucks remains near 3.5 years old.

White-tailed deer

White-tailed deer numbers across the region have improved slightly, however, many areas continue to have counts below the long-term average.

Pronghorn Read more

Hunting

MDT Opens Entries for the Ultimate Coyote Hunter Giveaway

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MDT is running the Ultimate Coyote Hunter Giveaway, awarding one complete predator hunting rifle and field kit assembled with ten partner brands. Entries open September 8, 2026 and close September 21, 2026. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

The rifle is chambered in 22 Creedmoor and built on the MDT DRT chassis with a Lone Peak Fuzion short action, a fluted Custom Rifle Barrels barrel chambered by 5×5 Precision, and a TriggerTech Rough Diamond trigger. Glass is a Kahles K318i 3.5-18×50. MDT supplies the optic mount, Double Pull lightweight bipod, SendIt Gen 2 level and magazine.

The rest of the kit covers the walk in and the shot: an Eberlestock LoDrag II pack, a Two Vets Tripods No Name V2 Inverted tripod with 65mm ballhead, and ten boxes of Hornady V-Match 22 Creedmoor. Winners resident in the United States also receive a NocPix Mate Ultra S60R clip-on thermal and a SilencerCo Scythe suppressor, subject to all applicable requirements. Read more

Firearms, Promotions

Third Circuit Allows NSSF Challenge to N.J.’s ‘Reasonable Controls’ Law

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NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, applauds the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit’s decision in NSSF v. Attorney General New Jersey, holding that NSSF has standing to challenge New Jersey’s “reasonable controls” law (A1765) and reversing a lower court’s decision that it was required to abstain from ruling on the merits of NSSF’s lawsuit because the New Jersey attorney general brought an enforcement action against one of its 10,000 members.

A previous challenge to the law by NSSF was dismissed for lack of standing because the law had yet to be enforced against a member company, making the lawsuit premature. This time, a lower court held that it could not reach the merits of the case by invoking the YoungerAbstention Doctrine, a legal rule that cautions federal courts from interfering with ongoing state court proceedings because the New Jersey attorney general was enforcing the law. That effectively barred NSSF from the courthouse doors for being too late. The Third Circuit rejected New Jersey’s argument.

“New Jersey’s proposed rule would create a Catch-22,” the Third Circuit decision reads. “If the association sued before the enforcement action against one of its members, it would be dismissed for lack of standing, like in NSSF I. If it sued after the enforcement action, it would be dismissed under Younger. Because NSSF, and its members, are ‘entitled to [their] own day in court,’ we reject New Jersey’s proposed rule.”

“This is a tremendous legal hurdle that has been cleared to permit our challenge to be heard in court. Read more

Gun Control

SCI Applauds Executive Order Directing Review of Gray and Mexican Wolf ESA Listings

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Safari Club International (SCI) applauds today’s Executive Order directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to evaluate whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves should remain listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

For decades, SCI has advocated that recovered wolf populations should be managed by the states rather than under continued federal protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has repeatedly reached the same conclusion. Since 2003, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, the Service has sought to downlist or delist gray wolves based on the best available science, consistently finding that populations have exceeded recovery goals and no longer warrant ESA protection.

Gray wolves are biologically recovered across much of their range. More than 4,200 wolves inhabit the Great Lakes states, while over 2,700 occupy western states spanning at least 11 states. These populations are connected to more than 10,000 wolves in Canada, demonstrating both broad geographic distribution and healthy genetic exchange. Mexican wolf populations have also seen substantial growth in the past decade.

The recovery of wolf populations has brought increased conflicts with livestock producers, rural communities, and sportsmen. In Wisconsin alone, wolves killed or injured more than 100 domestic animals in 2024. In Colorado, depredation from recently reintroduced wolves has already exceeded the state’s compensation program, impacting rural economies and local food sources.

“Today’s Executive Order represents an important step toward ensuring that wildlife management decisions are guided by sound science and biological reality,” said SCI President Jeff Meyerl. “The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that gray wolf populations have recovered and that states have the tools, expertise, and proven track record necessary to ensure their long-term conservation.”

SCI also supports efforts to modernize Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture policies governing compensation for livestock losses caused by predators and to streamline authorization for lethal removal when necessary to address chronic depredation and protect rural livelihoods.

“Conservation success should be recognized and celebrated,” Meyerl added. “Gray wolf recovery is one of North America’s greatest wildlife conservation achievements. SCI applauds the Administration for directing a science-based review of wolf listings and taking steps to ensure that wildlife management is driven by biological realities rather than decades of litigation. Recovered wolf populations belong under state management, where conservation success can continue while balancing the needs of wildlife, hunters, ranchers, and rural communities.” Read more

Animal Rights

Presidential Pardon Issued for Patrick “Tate” Adamiak

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In a closely watched and reported-on case by the Second Amendment Foundation’s (SAF) Investigative Journalism Project editor Lee Williams, Patrick “Tate” Adamiak today has been issued a pardon by President Donald Trump. Adamiak was wrongfully arrested, charged and convicted of illegally possessing a toy machinegun after Biden-era Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents stormed his house.

Four years ago, Adamiak was arrested and charged with illegally possessing two destructive devices, two inert RPGs that had holes drilled into their receivers and were stripped of internal parts. He was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to more than 20 years in prison after ATF’s “expert” added parts from real RPGs until they would fire a single subcaliber 7.62 x 39mm round. As a result, he classified the RPGs as destructive devices even though the same inert RPGs are still legally sold today without an FFL or any other paperwork. At the time of his arrest, Adamiak was an active-duty Navy E-6 and had been accepted to attend BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training).

“This is the day Tate and his family have fought for since his conviction 2023,” Williams said. “We have reported on this case on an almost weekly basis since his conviction and covered every angle of the story. In no way, shape or form did Tate deserve to be arrested, much less convicted for owning what are considered merely toy firearms. We are extremely thankful the administration saw an opportunity to right a wrong and are grateful Tate is now headed home to be with his family.”

Since first learning about Adamiak’s case, Williams has written more than 60 articles on the lack of evidence, the “expert” testimony presented at his trial and how officials in the Biden-era ATF railroaded an innocent young man to gain a conviction.

“Tate Adamiak endured every gun owner’s worst nightmare for more than four years,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “Despite the tenacity of Matthew Larosiere’s representation of Tate during his prosecution and subsequent appeal, the judicial system failed to yield a just decision. Thanks to the tremendous investigative reporting by Lee, this case was brought to the forefront of people’s minds on a continuous basis. While Tate shouldn’t have endured what happened to him in the first place, we are thrilled he has finally received the pardon he deserves.” Read more

Gun Control

Hunter Nation Celebrates Trump Executive Order to Delist the Gray Wolf from the Endangered Species Act

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MISSION, Kan. — Today, Hunter Nation, Inc., the nation’s leading grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to preserving America’s hunting heritage, celebrated President Donald J. Trump’s landmark Executive Order taking the first step towards delisting the Gray and Mexican wolf from the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Executive Order recognizes the biological reality that gray wolf populations have far exceeded all federal recovery thresholds. It directs the Department of the Interior to determine whether gray wolves or Mexican wolves meet the criteria for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and begin the process of delisting or downlisting.

The order also directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to update their standards for compensating ranchers for losses due to predators and ease authorization for lethal removal when necessary.

In regions across the Great Lakes and the American West, gray wolf populations have surged well past initial targets—exceeding historical recovery goals by more than tenfold in key areas—while devastating elk and deer herds, slaughtering livestock, and threatening family pets and rural livelihoods. Today’s action puts in motion an end to decades of federal overreach and aligns federal policy with sound biological data. Read more

Animal Rights, Wildlife

2026 Hunting Forecast: North-central Montana Big Game Forecast (Region 4)

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GREAT FALLS – Big game species across most of FWP’s Region 4 came out of the 2025–26 winter in good condition, with strong overwinter survival rates for not only adults but also the fawns and calves born in 2025. During the winter and spring much of the region experienced a continuance of the moderate to severe drought that reduced habitat quality, but timely and abundant rainfall in late spring and early summer rapidly and significantly improved forage and overall habitat conditions. As a result, elk, deer and pronghorn are entering the critical fall and winter period of 2026 in very good body condition for the first time in the past several years. This turnaround gives wildlife managers optimism, and barring a particularly harsh winter, they anticipate strong fawn and calf production next year – setting the stage for improved hunter success and big game populations in the seasons ahead.

Access in Region 4 consists of large areas of state and federal land that provide big game hunting opportunities that are open to everyone, although hunters who are willing to hike away from roads and access points and concentrate on less accessible terrain generally have better chances of locating animals. Region 4 also has well over a million acres of private land enrolled in the state’s Block Management Program, which allows public access to private land. Other private lands may also offer some hunting access, especially to hunters willing to harvest antlerless animals. As always, hunters should contact landowners well in advance of the season to secure hunting permission.

Elk

Elk numbers in Region 4 are very strong and generally meet or exceed population objectives in all districts, but the distribution of elk on the landscape varies widely. Many elk concentrate in large numbers on private lands which offer limited or no public access, while nearby public lands may hold relatively few animals.

Access to private-land elk hunting in Region 4 varies considerably, both among districts and among individual landowners. Some landowners allow hunting only for antlerless elk, while others permit either-sex harvest. Opportunities to hunt bulls differs widely depending upon the district, and in many districts, hunters with a general elk license may pursue bulls. But in several districts, especially island mountain ranges, the Missouri River Breaks and certain state-owned wildlife management areas bull hunting is limited to hunters who drew a limited entry permit.

Several hunting districts in Region 4 have shoulder seasons, which offer hunting for antlerless elk outside of the general archery and rifle seasons. Hunters should read their regulations carefully before hunting, and consider taking advantage of these special opportunities to harvest antlerless elk.

Mule Deer Read more

Hunting
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